Big Brother fan Rob Love has more reason than most to smile when watching the housemates struggling in the kitchen.

Firstly, because his company produces the show's official web site - helping to make him a millionaire.

Secondly, because before making his fortune he worked as a school "dinner lady" in a desperate bid to pay the bills.

At the time he had already set up Victoria Real, now ranked as one of Britain's fastest-growing technology firms.

The company, based in North Road, Brighton, produces the web sites for Big Brother, the National Lottery and European football governing body UEFA.

Satisfying the thousands of internet users logging on each day is a long way from doling out fish fingers and chips to schoolchildren.

Mr Love had just finished a degree in communications engineering when he took the canteen job 11 years ago. He was paid £50 a week for 11 months.

He said: "It was purely to make ends meet in the early days of running the company.

"The job was quite easy and great fun to do. Some of the children were surprised to be served by a 'dinner man'. But the other dinner ladies really looked after me."

He and three friends from Leeds Polytechnic set up Victoria Real in 1990, initially making ski films and student travel videos.

But Mr Love admitted: "In the early days we didn't have a clear view of where we were going."

Then, in 1994, the firm won a contract to provide interactive coverage of the World Cup Finals.

Today, major channels such as the BBC and Sky offer viewers many interactive options, such as selecting camera angles and calling up background information.

But Mr Love said: "It was pretty groundbreaking for us to be doing that back then."

Their coverage went out to 100,000 London viewers on a channel called Videotron. The firm moved to Lancing the same year, then Brighton shortly afterwards.

Mr Love realised early on that interactivity was the key to the future, on television and the web.

He produced a series of interactive comedy shows, where viewers could vote on their favourite comedians.

The really big break came when Big Brother, presented by Davina McCall, hit British screens in 2000.

The show's web site receives up to 4.5m visitors a day.

For a fee, users can watch housemates such as Jade, Jonny and PJ on their computers round the clock.

The site also features updates from the house, information about the housemates and voting polls.

Mr Love said: "It's a phenomenon. Something's happening in a house in north London and everyone wants to find out and talk about it."

About 33 per cent of UK viewers now have access to interactive television as well.

But Mr Love has a warning for anyone hoping to leap aboard the interactivity bandwagon, particularly after the costly collapse of ITV Digital.

He said: "You have to look carefully at what people really want. A lot of mistakes have been made. For example, interactive television banking. I'm not sure people are interested in doing that."

And he has another tip - cleanliness-obsessed Alex to win this year's £70,000 Big Brother jackpot.

Mr Love said: "You can't help getting hooked and I'm a fan of Alex. He's such a great character."

And what dinner lady would not appreciate someone who loves doing the washing-up?